The present disclosure relates to conveyor devices included in image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, multifunction peripherals, etc. and image forming apparatuses.
Inkjet recording apparatuses that form an image on a recording medium such as paper, etc. by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles are widely used in printers, copiers, multifunction peripherals, etc. because of its compactness, inexpensiveness, low operating noise, etc.
In an inkjet recording apparatus, a conveyance belt conveys a recording medium such as copy paper, etc. A recording head ejects ink droplets to the recording medium to form an image on the recording medium. The recording head is arranged at a distance of about 1.0-1.5 mm from a recording medium so as not to come in contact with the recording medium.
In the inkjet recording apparatus having such a structure, when a recording medium comes off from the conveyance belt by sag of the recording medium, wind pressure caused due to the recording medium passing under the recording head, or the like, the distance between the recording medium and the recording head varies. This may impair image quality.
In order to address the above described problem, a conveyor device that sucks a recording medium on the conveyance belt is proposed. Some conveyor devices include a conveyance belt driven in a conveyance direction of a recording medium and a suction unit arranged on one of the surfaces of the conveyance belt. A plurality of suction holes are formed in the conveyance belt.
The suction unit includes a fan case and a fan provided in the fan case. Holes or slits are formed in a ceiling wall of the fan case so as to communicate the interior of the fan case with the suction holes of the conveyance belt.
When the fan is driven with the recording medium loaded on the other surface of the conveyance belt, negative pressure is generated in the fan case to act on the recording medium through the suction holes of the conveyance belt. Thus, the recording medium is sucked on the conveyance belt.